Despite delays and continuing software problems, the US Army’s planned integrated air and missile defence command construct remains a priority for the Pentagon as it looks to proliferating threats in the coming decades

Initial analysis suggests that the recent ‘Zapad-2017’ joint strategic exercises of Russia and Belarus (14-20 September) justified the concerns of external observers about the scale and content of the exercises, as well as constituting a possible Russian violation of the Vienna Document provisions of 2011

The British Army’s new Strike concept has attracted much negative comment. But it is considerably more robust and well-founded than its critics claim, and it has the potential to offer infantry brigades the ability to march and manoeuvre under armour at far greater distances than is currently possible.

To meet the threats from China and North Korea, Japan is cooperating with its allies in the region, particularly by selling, lending or gifting them naval and maritime assets. But Tokyo is also building up its own fleet, despite its pacifist constitution, and this has put Japan’s shipbuilders into the spotlight.

In the wake of the inadequate response to the Grenfell Tower fire, the UK should learn from the experiences of successful responses to crises in other parts of the world and apply those lessons to its own response procedures to domestic crises.

On 4 July, North Korea successfully tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile. While the options for responding to this test remain the same (sanctions and economic pressures, formal negotiations, military action and deterrence), the mix and calibration of these tools need to change.

Despite all parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action complying with its obligations, Iran’s reintegration into the global economy is fraught with problems. A further factor is a differing attitude to the agreement’s implementation between the US and the EU.

After the surprising results of the so-called ‘Brexit election’, which left the Conservative party short of a majority in Parliament, polling suggests that the British public has an increasing interest in UK foreign policy, although it feels uninformed and is increasingly divided on foreign policy issues.

Positively identified formations and units of the Russian (RF) and Belarussian (RB) forces involved in the ‘Zapad-2017’ exercises, along with their strength estimates (for units operating on the Russian soil) can be found below. A more detailed and in-depth analysis of the exercises will be published in a forthcoming RUSI briefing paper devoted to this subject.*Note - Units listed in italics not...

It is in this context that this article will examine the IBCS as part of the broader IAMD system in order to shed light on the future prospects of this system in US Army service.As part of this project, the IBCS has been designed as a revolutionary command and control (C2) system able to deliver a single, unified view of the battlespace. The ability to track aircraft and missiles concurrently...

In light of the tactical and strategic importance of rotary-wing support to special operations, the international SOF community continues to ramp up such capabilities with a particular focus on the establishment of dedicated Special Operations Air Components (SOACs).The capability for a Special Operations Task Group to operate its own organic SOAC in an area of operations remains one of the most...

The potential of lower-level prosthesis will permit service members to continue serving in any number of military jobs, including combat roles. Further, on the current trajectory of prosthesis development, civilians born without lower extremities, or who have experienced the loss of a limb might be able to join the military – an opportunity they are currently not afforded. Advances in prosthetic...

It is true that the F-35, for example, will not be as effective as the A-10 Thunderbolt II at close air support using a heavy calibre cannon danger-close to troops on the ground. Equally, the F-35 cannot match a 4.5th generation fighter such as the Eurofighter Typhoon in raw performance terms, nor out-turn one in a within-visual range dogfight. However, the aircraft was never designed for either...

The S-400 surface to air missile (SAM) system is one of Russia’s most important assets in Syria, as well as in Eastern Europe where the system’s presence in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad gives the Kremlin powerful airspace denial options over the Baltic States and much of Poland. The S-400 system consists of wheeled vehicles including long-range surveillance radars, tracking and engagement...

The US Army is currently exploring the use of man-portable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), notably the Puma AE. However, these are fixed-wing systems that cannot hover, operate in buildings, tight spaces or close to the ground in urban environments. This article will instead focus on quadcopter-based drone systems and their future potential.In 2016, an estimated 2.5 million drones were sold to...

From 2010 to 2015, China’s arms trade grew by 143%, making the PRC the world’s third largest exporter of arms. Two-thirds of African countries now make use of arms manufactured by China, from cheap copies of small weapons to complex ocean-going naval vessels.Chinese weaponry has filled the market niche traditionally occupied by the cheap Soviet weaponry that previously equipped many African...

In August 2016, the Federal CIO Council published the Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI), which requires government agencies to increase efficiency by shutting down hundreds of federal data centres. The initiative set a target of reducing the number of federal data centres by over 50%, resulting in savings of $2.7 billion over three years.To achieve this, government agencies are...

This is the fourth in a series of five country-level papers on the role of organised crime groups in the illicit trade of tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceuticals across Europe, focusing on Romania as a case study.

This paper provides a background to the introduction of Unexplained Wealth Orders, explaining the current civil recovery regime contained within the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and why the introduction of these new powers was felt necessary in the current climate.

The 2017 UK PONI Papers examine contemporary civil and military nuclear issues and are written by emerging experts from academia, government and industry who presented at the 2017 UK Project on Nuclear Issues (UK PONI) Annual Conference.

This paper, a joint project between RUSI and the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government at Harvard, explores the pros and cons of imposing 'cash thresholds', including whether they should be introduced at a uniform level across different countries and, in particular, throughout the Eurozone.

This is the second of two guidance papers produced by RUSI on countering proliferation finance. It aims to assist governments seeking to strengthen their legal and institutional frameworks to counter proliferation finance.

Despite a looming split, the UK must seek to create a new relationship with the EU while strengthening ties with major European and non-European partners. Such measures could allow the UK to continue to contribute to resolving major security challenges.

Dr Igor Sutyagin argues that while Russia's recent military modernisation constitutes an important change in its own right, the most significant change is not to the size of the Russian military but to the nature of its forces: instead of being primarily structured for defensive operations (in case of a hypothetical large-scale military conflict), the Russian armed forces are now gaining an offensive-oriented structure, with capabilities tailored for large-scale war.

Professor Malcolm Chalmers presents a personal argument stating that a UK decision to leave the EU would be as significant a shift in UK national strategy as the decision in the late 1960s to withdraw from bases East of Suez and, as a result, would necessitate a new Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

While the 2015 Spending Review confirmed a stabilisation in the total defence and security budget after a period of sharp decline, a new RUSI report reveals a substantial shift in the way this is being spent across the government.

India’s power projection remains in a nascent stage while its threat perceptions continue to be dominated by local threats. But as the country’s power, interests and capabilities all grow, India may once more find itself using military force beyond its land borders

Despite a decade-long UN arms embargo, North Korea continues to export conventional weapons to state and non-state clients around the world. Understanding the drivers of this trade is essential if the sanctions regime is to be strengthened.

For over a decade, the AKP has sought to remake Turkey's foreign policy. After a series of reversals in recent years, they are staying the course - and drawing a clear distinction between Turkey and the West

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